Don’t Let Ego Kill Effort to Move in Right Direction

Why do so many Los Angeles City Council members oppose charter reform as recommended by an independent citizen commission that they appointed? Why this inconsistency? Could it be because some council members are terrified of criticism and challengers, some are feuding with the mayor and some want to preserve their power and privileges? Or do they resent the fact that they are not the authors upon whom public attention has been focused, as they are accustomed?

After serving as a Los Angeles city councilman for 32 years, it is clear to me that these are the real reasons most council members are opposed to charter reform.

Council members fear neighborhood councils because they know these councils create a breeding ground for challengers and inevitable criticism. They know that citizen participation produces activity, knowledge, inquiries, complaints and more work for the council member.

Council members accuse the mayor of lack of leadership and then, with their next breath, vote to deny him the authority to fulfill his responsibilities. All governors, mayors of large cities, presidents of private and public corporations have managerial authority and are held accountable for efficient implementation of policy. But not the city of Los Angeles, where the City Council has its fingers in daily administrative decisions instead of confining itself to legislative policy. In Los Angeles, responsibility and accountability are not clearly defined.

The result has been the loss of the voters’ ability to hold elected officials accountable for their actions. The current situation is a design for voter frustration with government, adding to the feeling that people are not being heard and their vote and attention does not matter. No sense of community can flourish in such a climate.

When authority is more clearly defined, we will be able to hold our elected officials more accountable for their actions. This will save taxpayer dollars and ensure the delivery of better managed high quality services.

This charter reform is a significant advance because it moves us in the right directions, toward more neighborhood participation, more accountability of officials and more efficient government.